Very few capital ships were completed as pure products of stable treaty limits. Many appeared near the end of the era, when navies were already ignoring provisions or preparing to exceed them. The King George V class and contemporary American construction illustrate how designs could contain plans for later displacement or capability growth. The video therefore examines capital ships built during the treaty era, including vessels that did not remain fully compliant throughout their design and service.
Notable Point · 0:00-1:25
Why few ships were truly treaty battleships
The introduction warns that "treaty battleship" can be a misleading label because many ships were built as the restrictions were already weakening.